Craigslist Score: 7 cu ft chest freezer

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jezter6

jezter6

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Ok, so tomorrow night I'm getting my chest freezer! This thing sounds huge, so I can't wait to figure out what to do with it.

For starters, I want to go ultra-cheap. That means ghetto picnic taps. We don't want to drill this thing just yet, so that's my only option.

I want to be able to serve 2 brews, and carb 1 on the side. (Or just serve the 3rd one if we don't have anything carbing)

So what do I need? I already have some kegs, but I know I need more (and to trade out the 1 strange one of the group).

5# Tank
Primary Regulator
Secondary Regulator (carbing)
Gas line splitter (for running 2 taps on 1 regulator)
Gas line from regulator to splitter
2 gas in lines for serving keg
1 gas line from 2ndary regulator to carbing
3 serving picnic tap lines (2 for primary, 1 for backup)
Temp controller for freezer

what else do I need? What can I do with a big old 7 cubic footer? Can I have 3 in there and lager more in a converted corny fermenter?

Help!
 
EdWort said:
Make sure you have them plug it in tonight so you can see it running when you pick it up.
Click to expand...

Good idea. I didn't have them do that with mine, so the whole drive home I was getting nervous about it.
 
Check. They're going to make sure it's on and cold when I come to pick it up.

I can't wait!

And pastor man...no WAY I could build a beer altar like the one you have. I live in a townhouse and I'm poor, that's why I'm ghetto tapping this. This will be the ghettoest (is that a word?) keggerator ever...to go with my ghetto ass couch in my ghetto ass townhouse in the ghetto ass neighborhood I live in. I'm almost scared to bring it in during the daylight or people will think I actually have enough money to be worth robbing.
 
So, i picked it up last Thursday. It wasn't running when I got there, but it had been running for ~30 minutes before I showed up and was already extremely cold to the touch. I haven't plugged it in at the house since I don't want it to freeze and have to be thawed when kegging time comes, but I'm firmly of the opinion that I got a great deal on the freezer.

Also, I went to my LHBS and got quoted $350 for a full kegging setup including the following items:
1 Johnson Analog Temp Controller
1 5# CO2 tank (unfilled)
1 Dual Gauge regulator
1 4-way manifold (to dispense 2 and carb 1 with the option of dispensing or carbing a 4th)
Gas lines/connectors for entire 4 keg system
Dispensing lines/taps/connectors for 3 dispensing runs

I looked on the web, and so far, he seems to be within a few $ of every piece, and I'd rather buy from him if it's less than $50 more than what I can get elsewhere just so that he doesn't feel bad supporting a system I didn't buy from him.

What do y'all think? Is $350 for a full 4 keg system is a good value? Can I do it under $300?
 
jezter6 said:
So, i picked it up last Thursday. It wasn't running when I got there, but it had been running for ~30 minutes before I showed up and was already extremely cold to the touch. I haven't plugged it in at the house since I don't want it to freeze and have to be thawed when kegging time comes, but I'm firmly of the opinion that I got a great deal on the freezer.

Also, I went to my LHBS and got quoted $350 for a full kegging setup including the following items:
1 Johnson Analog Temp Controller
1 5# CO2 tank (unfilled)
1 Dual Gauge regulator
1 4-way manifold (to dispense 2 and carb 1 with the option of dispensing or carbing a 4th)
Gas lines/connectors for entire 4 keg system
Dispensing lines/taps/connectors for 3 dispensing runs

I looked on the web, and so far, he seems to be within a few $ of every piece, and I'd rather buy from him if it's less than $50 more than what I can get elsewhere just so that he doesn't feel bad supporting a system I didn't buy from him.

What do y'all think? Is $350 for a full 4 keg system is a good value? Can I do it under $300?
Click to expand...

If you're willing to wait a little longer, scour Craigslist some more, and a little DIY, I'd think you could do it for half that. Without knowlng the individual item prices, I'd think the key places where you're likely to do better than the LHBS are the CO2 tank and regulator (these pop on CL pretty often and cheap) and the manifold (several threads here on how to DIY for $30-40).
 
I don't have the numbers with me, but this should be close.

It was like $70 for the tank, $65 for the regulator, and about $65 for the controller.

The manifold was ~$50, although I saw them online for $44, but honestly...for 6$, I'm ok with getting this guy to build a system that looks like it's going to work and he'd be willing to support.

I may work on the big three, but from some basic calling I think the tank is going to be expensive unless I happen to find a craigslist find, but I'm concerned that with a random craigslist co2 tank I'll have to pay for a $30 leak test anyways which will likely put it right up to the same cost I find everywhere else.
 
That's a decent price. You could save pennies buying used or building your own, but I think the time-savings will make up for the difference.
 
Yeah, like I said...I can likely do better on the bigger ticket items, but since he is going to buy and build the entire system for me, I think it's worth the extra few bucks for the support. I want to support his business, and I want him to tell me what's wrong when it doesn't work, and I think he'd be much more willing to do that when I spend a few bills in his store.

He's the kind of guy who would come out and see it in action to help fix it, and that's the service I'm really paying for.
 
Here's what I came up with from an online source:

Item Number Product Price Quantity Total Update Remove
A19AAT-2C
Freezer Temperature Controller
$62.95 $62.95 Remove
9049
5 lb Aluminum CO2 Air Tank
$59.95 $59.95 Remove
DTR1002
Premium Double Gauge CO2 Regulator
$49.95 $49.95 Remove
DTM1404S
4-Way Distribution Bar with Safety
$39.75 $39.75 Remove
2408
Ball Style Quick Disconnect - Liquid
$6.50 $26.00 Remove
2407
Ball Style Quick Disconnect - Gas
$6.50 $26.00 Remove
603
Air Line 5/16" I. D. Vinyl Hose by the Foot
$0.60 $12.00 Remove
600
Beer Line 3/16" Vinyl Hose by the Foot
$0.55 $12.10 Remove
303N
Plastic Faucet Replacement Head
$4.25 $17.00 Remove


Subtotal: $ 305.70
Shipping (FedEx Home Delivery)*: $ 19.98
Total: $ 325.68

That is for a FULL ON dispensing of 4 kegs, where as the $350 quote was for 2 dispensing and a 3rd in carbonation, with the ability to go 4 wide later. If I dropped this online quote to 2 dispense and 1 carb, I'm under $300.

Opinions? :)
 

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